The active participation of citizens is the essence of any functioning democracy. People’s willingness to participate in political life is linked to their perception of their own ability to understand political matters and how far they can influence change through their actions (usually defined as political efficacy). Individuals with a greater sense of political efficacy are significantly more likely to trust their national government (see Chapter 2), as well as to vote, engage with political representatives and participate in civic initiatives (OECD, 2024).
According to the results from the OECD Trust Survey, not all individuals feel equipped to participate in the political system. Overall across OECD countries, 40% of people are confident in their ability to participate in politics. Confidence levels vary significantly between countries and are the highest in Ireland (64%) and Switzerland (55%) (Figure 6.2). When it comes to government responsiveness to public feedback, only 37% of people in OECD countries believe their government would change a national policy that is opposed by the majority, while 42% believe such change is unlikely. Switzerland (55%) and Finland (51%) are the only countries where a majority of people expect their government to respond to public feedback in this way (Figure 6.3).
Many opportunities for political participation occur at the local level, where citizens can engage more directly with policy makers, attend community meetings and contribute to decision-making processes. At the local level, public perceptions of political efficacy is evenly split: on average, four in ten people believe they would have the opportunity to voice their opinions when local governments make decisions that affect their communities, while an equal share think otherwise (Figure 6.4). This is important because the perception of having a say in local matters is the factor with the strongest positive influence on trust in local government (OECD, 2024).
There is widespread scepticism about how meaningful public consultations are in practice. On average across OECD countries, only 32% believe that the government would adopt opinions expressed in a public consultation. Across countries, there is a strong positive association between people’s confidence that they have a say in government decisions and their perceptions of how responsive governments are to public consultations (Online Figure J.3.1). This highlights the importance of meaningful follow-up to the inputs received during public consultations, not just to enhance transparency and accountability but also to build citizens’ engagement (OECD, 2022). All in all, promoting and strengthening political efficacy at all levels is vital for fostering an engaged, empowered and active citizenry – one that underpins a resilient democracy.
